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Tamsin

Hello all! Have just joined the forum. Me and the hubbie have been full-timing for just over 2 years in our 1993 Bessacarr Autocruise. We are finishing our current temp jobs tomorrow - yippee! - and the open road beckons. We are off to the Americana show at Newark and then heading for the Scottish Highlands. Can't wait, it's our first trip to Scotland - any suggestions for must-see places appreciated.

Happy travels Very Happy

stella2

hi tamsin, welcome to the site.

On speyside, try Grantown on spey- there's a site in the town (in the caravan club book - managed under contract / affiliated, whatever they call them now..) good easy trips out form there to distilleries (loads of them) also Balindalloch castle just down the road. Good walking locally & fishing in the spey - day tickets can be bought in the shop on the main street.

Jeffus

H Tamsin, big welcome to the site. Applause

We pick up our new Bessacarr E795 in two months time (64 days . . . . so who's counting Laughing

). As you go up to Scotland, don't forget to call in the Lake District, again big welcome. Jeffus. Cool

Raine

hi tamsin, welcome too! angel1

? can ya tell us what jobs youve been doing on your travels, and stuff, i would be very interested to hear! And it sure sounds (sigh) FUN queen

Tamsin

Thanks for your replies. The Lake District.......now there's another place I want to go. Gosh.......my places to visit wish list just keeps getting longer and longer!

With regards to work Raine, we have done a variety of jobs between us. We've not found any problem getting temp jobs through agencies. I usually do admin/secretarial type jobs - I am working for the NHS at present. Andy was a cook all his working life until we went full-timing. He'd had enough of it by then and has since done labouring, driving, factory work, he's quite happy to do whatever really. Last summer we worked on a caravan park in Cambridgeshire. It was hard work but really good fun - very sociable, we met lots of nice people. And it was a fantastic summer weather-wise last year, it made a pleasant change to being stuck in the office.

Anonymous

Tamsin ... this is really a very personal question and I won't be offended if you prefer not to answer. Equally I hope you are not offended by me asking.

Q... How much money do you think you need to survive per week comfortably full timing. Counting everything.

Tamsin

Hi Pusser. I don't mind answering your question as best I can. It's hard to give a weekly figure that we spend, it varies a lot depending on where we are and what we are doing. For example, we are back in our home town at present which means we are doing a lot of socialising! When we are settled and working we tend to stay on CL's a lot which don't cost that much - probably about £40 per wk on average - and when touring we use CL's combined with wild camping.

We do keep a record of our spending - which can make scary reading sometimes (We spent HOW MUCH?!!! Shocked

) - but is quite useful. The last financial year we spent just over £11000. On a weekly average it sounds quite a lot but that did include 2 weeks in France last year plus 6 weeks in France and Spain this year. That also includes all maintenance, insurance, etc on the 'van.

At the end of the day, we get to take far more holidays than when we used to both work in full-time jobs. When we do work our jobs aren't particularly well paid but give us enough money to do the things we enjoy. We have a great lifestyle, plenty of free time to do what we want and never get stuck doing jobs we hate. Life is definitely better now!

Hope that helps, Tamsin

Anonymous

Many thanks for that Tasmin. (Sory for delay but I have only just found your reply). It was indeed very helpful. Perhaps there is a chance that I can bail out of UK for retirement.

HelenB · Moderator

Hi Tamsin
Welcome to the site. I would highly recommend anywhere north and west Of Fort William, Isle of Skye, Mull and if you can manage it the outer isles are fantastic, like stepping back in time. Only snag is you are going to Scotland at the wrong time of year unless you are, very lucky with the weather. Oh yes and Glen Affric, roughly south west of Inverness is an absolute must if you like solitary splendour. I have been to Scotland nearly every year since I was 3 and that's a fair few years!!! Wink

Never got tired of it yet. Send me a pm if you want more places to see Smile

Helen